Thresholds



Nov. 4, 1958 2,858,583

`A. P. Mel-:VOY ET AL THRESHOLDS Filed Jan. 13, 1956 INVENTORS Alfred P.McEvoy ym F. Seoy BY Z .5 ATTO EY United States Patent 2,858,583THRESHOLDS Alfred P. McEvoy and -Tym F. Seay, Dallas, Tex. ApplicationJanuary 13, ,1956, Serial No. 558,950

Claims. (Cl. 20-64) This .invention relates to thresholds and moreparticularly to a weather strip threshold and sealing strip. This islacontinuation in part of our co-pending application, Serial No. '501,229now abandoned.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved thresholdhaving a resilient Weatherstrip for engaging thebottorn end of a doortoprevent drafts between the door and the sill.

Another object Iis to provide ,a Ynew and improved threshold, of thetype described, wherein the resilient weatherstrip istdetachable and iseasily assembled on the threshold after the latter is secured in placeon the door sill.

'Still another object of the inventionis to provide a threshold havingrasingle longitudinal groove for detachably receiving a weatherstrip.

A further object is to provide a threshold, of the type described,wherein the longitudinal groove opens upwardly and has parallellongitudinal edge. portions formed by inwardly facing lips on the uppersurface of the threshold, the resilient weatherstrip having.longitudinal lips receivable in the longitudinal edge portions of .the

groove whereby the resilient strip may be detachably secured to thethreshold.

Alstillfurther Objectis to provide a threshold, of the type described,wherein the resilient strip includes a substantially ilat elongatebasewhose opposed e'dge portions constitute the longitudinal lips of theresilientweatherstrip and an ,elongate ,arcuate portion integral withthe base and having its central vportion arched upwardly past the lipsof the threshold toengage the bottom end of a door.

Still another object isto provide weatherstrip having an` elongate baseand an elongate archedportion having side edges integrally secured V.tothe base atlines spaced inwardly from the side edges thereof, wherebythe arched portionis heldarched by the base.

Yet another object of the invention islto provide a -weatherstrip orseal-member having .an elongatelsubstantially at relatively rigid basesection and an elongate arched relatively `thiniiexible sealportionrintegrally se- Acuredto thelbasevportion valong lines spacedinwardly 4be.readilyrapparennfrom the reading-ofthe followingdescription of` devices constructed in accordance with the invention,and reference .to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure l isa perspective viewshowing a thresholdembodying theweatherstrip in position on the sill of a door;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view ofthe weatherstripand thresholdvshown in Figure v1;

Figures 2A and 2B are transverse vertical sectional views Ofmodied formsof the weatherstripor sealrnember;

Figure 3 isra verticalcross-.sectional view of a Vmodied formofthreshold land we-atherstrip seal;

Figure v4 is a vertical cross-sectional view `of another form of thethreshold; and,

,Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional .view of still anotherform of thethreshold.

Referring nowy particularly to Figures `1 and 2 of -the drawings, theweatherstrip member lll-mounted on `the threshold r11 of the door ,12includes an elongate substantially ilatbody orplatemember 13 which isdisposed on the wooden threshold 11 and is secured thereto by screws`10i which extendthrough suitable apertures longitudinally spaced alongthe center of the elongate -plate or body member. The bottom ksurface ofthe body memberA 13 is ,preferablyprovided `with. elongateridges orteeth 15 whichare adapted to Ygrip the sill 11 to viixedly hold the bodymember against displacement.

T he bodymember is provided on its upper side with a longitudinalupwardly open .groove 16 having lateral parallel edge `portions oropenings 17 and 18 formedby longitudinal inwardly ,extending lips 19 and20, respectively, o the body member and the at surface ,21 of the bodymember vdetningthe bottom of the groove .16. The lower ,surfaceof-the.lips.19vand 20,-of course, are spaced above the at, surface,21.

Arresilient weatherstrip Vseal member 25 -isrernovably lmounted on thebody member .13 and includes a-substantially flat elongate relativelysized -base 26 whose longitudinal edge portions or anges 27 and28arereceivable lin the edge Yportions or openings 17 and 1S,respectively,

.its side edges integral with thebase justinwardly ofthe edge portionsor anges 27 Vand 27 .so'thatthe upperportion of the arcuateportion 36 ispositively held bowed upwardly and extends upwardly inthe grooveabove'the lips 19 and 20 ofthe body` member .IStoengage'the bottom edgeof thedoor 12. The arcuate portion 30 is` depressed downwardly by thedoorwhen the door is in closed position, insuring a substantially airtight sealbetween the threshold 1'1 and the door.

The side edges 4of the flexible sealing arcuate portion of the. sealmember maybethickened in cross-section as at 31 to` more positively.hold the arcuate portion in anupwardly projectingk arched position.

The `baseZ beneath the arcuateportion 30 maybe flat, as shown in Figure2, or may have its cross-sectional thickness increased `-graduallyfromthellinesof juncture of 4the arcuate -sealing portion with saidbaseinwardly to the central longitudinal portion of said base, as shownin,Figure 2A, whereby thebase is more rigid and tends to resistmechanical forces acting in directions -which would cause theweatherstripseal member to be displaced from the groove. Or, if desired,the base may have-its cross-sectional thickness decrease. graduallyfroml the lines ofjuncture toward the center, was shown in Figure 2B, sothat the base may be more readily flexed along its longitudinal `centralportion. Such control of the thickness of the cross-section of the baseprovides for ,controlling theease with which the seal member may beinserted in or Vremoved from the groove of the body member.

The weatherstrip seal member may be easily positioned in place in thegroove 16 of the body member by deforming or bending the baselongitudinally to bring its longitudinal edge portions or flanges inproximity to one another and away from the arcuate portion 30 and thenslipping these longitudinal edge portions or flanges into the edgeportions or openings 17 and 18 of the groove 16. The base 26 will thenabut the surface 21 of the body member.

It will be seen now that a new and improved weatherstrip has beenillustrated and described which includes a plate or body member 13having a single groove 16 in which is received a resilient weatherstripseal member 25. It will also be seen that the sides of the body memberdefining the parallel vertical sides of the groove 16 may besaid to beundercut to form the lips 19 and 20 and provide the groove 16 with itslongitudinal edge portions or openings 17 and 18 which receive the edgeportions or flanges 27 and 28 of the weatherstrip seal member, wherebythe seal member lis held in position on the body member.

It will also be seen that the weatherstrip and seal member are of simpleforms whereby manufacture and installation of the weatherstrip assemblyon a threshold or other opening are facilitated while the costs thereofare decreased.

In Figure 3 is illustrated a threshold 40 which includes an invertedelongate substantially channel-shaped member 41 having side edgeportions or feet 42 and 43 which may `be longitudinally grooved, asshown, to provide sharp edges whereby the threshold may be fxedly seatedon a sill by means of screws, not shown, which may extend throughlongitudinally spaced apertures 44 provided in the channel-shapedmember. A single longitudinal groove 45 is provided in the upper side ofthe channel-shaped member to receive a resilient weatherstrip sealmember 25. A longitudinal dependent reinforcing and sealing rib 46, orflange, is formed substantially centrally of the underside of thechannel-shaped member between the feet 42 and 43 and is provided with alongitudinal sharp or knife edge 47 which is sharp enough to penetrateinto a wooden sill so that it effectively prevents transverse flow ofair between the seal and the channel-shaped member.

A weatherstrip seal member 25 may be inserted into the groove 45 in thesame manner as into the groove 16 of the body member shown in Figure 2and will then seal between the bottom edge of 'a door and thechannelshaped member in the same manner.

In Figure 4 is illustrated a modified lform of the threshold 40 whereinthe reinforcing and sealing flange 46 is -provided with a longitudinallateral boss 50 having a downwardly opening longitudinal groove 51 forreceiving the resilient bead 52 of a resilient foot seal 53 to thussecure the latter to the flange 46. The bead 52 is solid and rectangularin form and is thus positively held in place in the downwardly openinggroove 51 of the base. The seal 53 may be tubular so as to readily flexinto sealing engagement with the floor or sill on which the threshold ismounted.

In Figure is illustrated a modified threshold 60 having a flat plate orbody member 61 similar in all respects to the body member 13 of Figure 2but having a dependent flange or bead 62 on the inner edge of each ofthe lips 63 which define the longitudinal side edge portions of lthegroove 64. The resilient weatherstrip seal member 65 is similar in allrespects to the weatherstrip seal member 25 but has upstanding flanges66 on its lateral edges which engage with the dependent flanges 62 ofthe body member to firmly secure the weatherstrip seal member inposition'on the body member 61.

It will now be seen that a weatherstrip seal member 25 has been providedwhich may be used with a weatherstrip or threshold body member having asingle longitudinal groove and that the seal member has an arcuateflexible sealing portion 30 which extends upwardly from a substantiallyflat rathery rigid base within the groove to engage the bottom edge of adoor, window or the like. lt will also be seen that the weatherstripseal member has longitudinal edge portions or flanges 27 and 28 whichhold the seal member in position by engaging inwardly extending lips,such as the lips 19 and 20 of Figure 2 of the body member of theweatherstrip or threshold, the lips extending over longitudinal edgeportions of the groove, and the flanges of the seal member therein.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the constructions illustrated may 'be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination threshold member and weather strip including: anelongate body having an upper surface formed with longitudinal marginaledge portions sloping upwardly and inwardly from said edges toward thecentral portion of the body and having groove means formed in its uppersurface with a planar surface defining the edge portions of said groovemeans, said groove means including a planar bottom surface spaced `belowthe upper surface of the body member and having a portion underlyingeach of the inner edge portions of the planar upper surface defining themarginal edges of the groove means and substantially rectangularopenings underlying a portion of the planar upper surface of the bodymember adjacent the groove means, said openings being defined alongtheir lower sides by the planar bottom surface of the groove; and aresilient sealing member having an elongate substantially flat baseportion removably positioned in said groove means, said base portionhaving substantially rectangular longitudinally extending outwardlyprojecting retaining flanges disposed in the openings at each side ofthe groove means, the width of said base being substantially equal tothe width of the planar bottom surface of the groove means; said sealingmember being formed with an integral upwardly arched flexible sealingsection between said flanges, said flexible sealing section projectingsubstantially vertically upwardly from the base portion of said sealingmember to a point substantially in the plane of the planar upper surfaceof the body member then curving convexly inwardly above and overlyingthe central portion of the base portion of the sealing strip at anelevation above said planar upper surface, the outer sides of saidsubstantially vertical portions of said flexible sealing section beingdisposed to engage the inner longitudinal edges of the upper surface ofthe body defining the groove means to be supported thereby againstlateral displacement.

2. The threshold of claim 1 wherein the base portion of the sealingmember is greater in cross-sectional thickness and more rigid than thearched flexible sealing section.

3. A threshold of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein thesubstantially vertically extending portions of the arched flexiblesealing section are thicker in crosssection to resist flexing of saidsealing section at the point of junction of the section with the baseand to more readily permit flexing in the exposed upwardly curvedportion of the planar surfaces of the body member, there being an openspace between the base portion and the flexible sealing section with thebase being flexible to permit insertion thereof into the groove meansand removal therefrom.

4. A combination threshold member and weather strip including: anelongate body having an upper surface formed with longitudinal marginaledge portions sloping upwardly and inwardly from said edges toward thecentral portion of the body and having groove means formed in its uppersurface with a planar surface defining the edge portions of said groovemeans, said groove means including a planar bottom surface spaced belowthe upper surface of the body member and having a portion underlyingeach of the inner edge portions of the planar upper surface defining themarginal edges o-f thel groove means and substantially rectangularopenings underlying a portion of the planar upper surface of the bodymember adjacent the groove means, said openings being defined alongtheir lower sides by the planar bottom surface of the groove; and aresilient sealing member having an elongate substantially llat baseportion removably positioned in said groove means, said base portionhaving substantially rectangular longitudinally extending outwardlyprojecting retaining flanges disposed in the openings at each side ofthe groove means, the width of said base being substantially equal tothe width of the planar bottom surface of the groove means; said sealingmember being formed with an integral upwardly arched llexible sealingsection between said flanges, said flexible sealing section projectingsubstantially vertically upwardly from the base portion of said sealingmember to a point substantially in the plane of the planar upper surfaceof the body member then curving convexly inwardly above and overlyingthe central portion of the base portion of the sealing strip at anelevation above said planar surface, the outer sides of saidsubstantially vertical portions of said flexible sealing section beingdisposed to engage the inner longitudinal edges of the upper surface ofthe body defining the groove means to be supported thereby againstlateral displacement, the base portion of the sealing member beinggreater in cross-sectional thickness and more rigid than the archedflexible sealing section, the substantially vertically extendingportions of the arched flexible sealing section being thicker incrosssection to resist ilexing of said sealing section at the point ofjunction of the section with the base and to more readily permit flexingin the exposed upwardly curved portion of the planar surfaces of thebody member, there being an open space between the base portion and theflexible sealing sectio-n with the base being flexible to permitinsertion thereof into the groove means and removal therefrom.

5. A weather strip and support therefor including: an elongate bodyhaving an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface beingformed with a substantially planar upper surface portion, said bodyhaving longitudinally extending groove means formed therein opening tothe upper surface in the planar portion of said surface, whereby saidplanar portion defines the longitudinal edge portions of said groovemeans; said groove means having portions forming substantiallyrectangular openings underlying each of the inner edge portions of theplanar upper surface of the body defining the marginal edges of thegroove means and having a bottom extending transversely of said bodybelow the inner edge portions of said body defining said longitudinaledges of said groove means and continuous with the bottom surfaces ofthe portions of said groove means forming said substantially rectangularopenings; and a resilient sealing member having an elongate base portionremovably positioned in said groove means, said base portion havingsubstantially rectangular longitudinally extending laterally outwardlyprojecting retaining flanges disposed in the rectangular openings ateach side of the groove means, the width of said base beingsubstantially equal to the width of the bottom of the groove means; saidsealing member being formed with an integral upwardly arched flexiblesealing section between said flanges, said flexible sealing sectionhaving spaced lateral portions projecting substantially verticallyupwardly from the base portion of said sealing member adjacent theflanges to a point substantially in the plane of the planar uppersurface of the body then curving convexly upwardly and inwardly aboveand overlying the central portion of the base portion of the sealingstrip at an elevation above said planar surface portion of the body,there being a continuous longitudinal hollow space between said flexiblesealing section and the base portion between the upwardly extendingspaced lateral portions of said flexible sealing section, the outersides of said substantially vertical portions of said flexible sealingsection being disposed to engage the inner longitudinal edges of theportion of the body defining the groove means, whereby said verticalportions of the sealing section are limited against deflection laterallyoutwardly of said groove means, said vertical portions being flexibleinwardly of said groove away from said longitudinal edges of the bodydefining said groove means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,712,472 Campbell May 7, 1929 1,912,255 Clark May 30, 1933 1,991,776Gail Feb. 19, 1935 2,070,725 Gail 'Feb. 16, 1937 2,089,380 Kammerer Aug.10, 1937 2,102,578 Gail Dec. 14, 1937 2,116,426 Cecil May 3, 19382,654,922 Krupp Oct. 13, 1953 2,718,677 Cornell Sept. 27, 1955 2,786,241Garvey Mar. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 481,137 l Great Britain Mar. 7,1938 899,225 France July 31, 1944

